


It Hurts to Breathe (Without You)

by Child_Of_Wonderland



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo (Shadowhunters/The Mortal Instruments) [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Clary Fray (mentioned) - Freeform, Fluff and Angst, Gen, How Do I Tag, Hurt Alec Lightwood, Hurt/Comfort, Isabelle Lightwood (mentioned), M/M, Protective Jace Wayland, Protective Magnus Bane, Scared Magnus Bane, Worried Jace Wayland, Worried Magnus Bane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-25 14:15:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19747405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Child_Of_Wonderland/pseuds/Child_Of_Wonderland
Summary: Broken ribs suck. Alec learns that the hard way. So does Magnus.





	It Hurts to Breathe (Without You)

**Author's Note:**

> Did I just get my bingo card yesterday? Yes. Have I already finished four prompts in that time? Yes. Do I regret anything? No.
> 
> Prompt: Punctured Lung

Alec falls back into a defensive position, his seraph blade lighting up his face in the dark alley as Jace, Izzy, and Clary fall with their backs towards each other. The light glow of the blades seems to anger the circle members who shout and attack immediately. Jace reacts first, swinging the blade straight into the first shadowhunters shoulder and the guy falls. Jace drives the blade through his chest and pulls it out just in time to meet the next shadowhunters blade. Clary can keep her own somewhat well but Alec keeps an eye on her as he fights. Two shadowhunters appear on Alec’s left and right, flanking on both of his sides as he drives the blade into one of the guys, launching himself over the other, stabbing him in the back. The two of them fall with a sickening thud and Alec grimaces slightly. He’s distracted for only a split moment but it’s all the last few members need as one of them jumps on his back. Alec slams into the concrete with a thud and a gasp, which causes Jace to turn. The air gets knocked out of him and Alec hears a distinct, painful crack that causes him to almost cry out. He bites his lip to stop from screaming as the shadowhunter rolls him over, going for a punch. Alec dodges the punch and wraps his legs around the circle members back, flipping him over so Alec is atop him. Jace tosses him a blade and Alec catches it blindly, driving it straight through the stomach of his tackler and rises. The two of them fall back to back as the circle members come towards them. Alec twists quickly to slam his elbow into someone’s nose and meets the sword of another. Jace meets the elbowed shadowhunter with a sword to the chest before turning to catch the blade of one of the last circle members. Izzy and Clary are still fighting the last few assailants that aren’t focused on the parabatai. Alec tries to take a breath but it’s choked off by a noise of pain that escapes his mouth slightly. It’s covered by the noise of the battle and Alec thanks the angel for that before turning to meet the last circle member. The member seems to notice that Alec is the injured link and he charges, body slamming Alec but doesn’t cause him to fall. Alec ducks an aggressive punch and shoulders the man in the stomach, pushing him away. Jace, who was behind the man, catches him and snaps his neck quickly. He pushes the man to the ground and the four of them stand there, surrounded by corpses and blood. Clary rushes to Jace, hugging him before Jace starts to check over her. Alec tries another breath, only to be met with another wave of pain. The eldest Lightwood makes his way towards Isabelle, checking her over quickly before Jace reaches him.

“You’re hurt.” Jace states as he reaches a hand to stop Alec from leaving, “What happened?” Izzy and Clary both are staring behind Jace with creepily matching expressions of worry.

“Nothing, bruised ribs. Nothing an iratze can’t handle or Magnus’s magic.” Alec replies flippantly and Jace looks suspicious but doesn’t say much as he’s sure Alec is probably heading to Magnus’s now.

“Alright, as long as you’re sure. Go to Magnus’s, we’ll take care of the clean up and reports. Get yourself checked out and fixed.” Jace orders and gently pushes Alec towards the exit of the alley, not noticing the flash of pain that shoots up Alec’s chest. Jace’s chest is aching with a dull thud every few moments but he thinks nothing of it, bruised ribs suck but Magnus would take care of Alec. Izzy watches Alec head out of the alley way, his hand coming to rest over his ribs as he makes his way towards the loft. The way he’s moving shows he’s in more pain than he was letting on but Izzy tries to ignore that fact. She knows for a fact that bruised ribs could cause quite a bit of pain and tries to not think too much of it. Instead, she turns to face the damage that was left in the wake of the shadowhunters. This was going to take a lot of clean up.

***

Alec holds onto his ribs as he makes his way down the street, making his way towards Magnus’s house with an almost desperate kind of feeling. He wasn’t glamoured and probably looked quite crazy rushing down the streets of New York. He’s being jostled quite badly but doesn’t think anything of it until he’s a few steps from Magnus’s loft. Two men are fighting outside on the street and people are giving them a wide berth. Alec doesn’t care, trying to make his way past them and into the loft. He gets within a few steps of the door before one of the men is pushed into him. Pain shoots through him and Alec can’t help the scream of pain that comes out as the two of them slam into the wall behind him. Alec bends over, his hand covering his ribs as he tries to overcome the sudden pain.

“Whoa man, you okay?” The man asks and Alec waves him off, still double-overed and leaning against the brick wall of Magnus’s loft. The two men flee quickly and the New Yorkers advert their gazes, continuing on quickly without stopping to check on him. Alec tries to take a steadying breath and pain shoots through him like he is being stabbed. The shadowhunter clutches his ribs and shuffles towards the entrance to the loft, letting himself in. As he’s climbing the stairs, his lungs burn with lack of air and Alec tries to take in a breath but it comes out as a short, desperate gasp.

“Magnus?” Alec calls out weakly as he pushes the door closed behind him and leans heavily against it. His chest is tight and every breath he takes is a short, gasping sound that doesn’t feel like it gets enough air in. He doubts Magnus can hear him and his legs start to shake with the exertion of just trying to keep his body up. Every single breath he attempts sends a fire through his body and Alec resists the urge to cry out from pain. He tries to reach for something to help steady him but his hands are uncoordinated. He’s too focused on his pain to focus his hands enough to grasp something and instead, the table beside the door falls. Alec can’t help but be thankful for the noise as it will hopefully draw Magnus’s attention to his struggling boyfriend.

“Alexander?” Magnus asks as he appears from his study in the hallway. Alec is leaning against the door but he’s slightly bent over, trying to take desperate breaths. The dark wooden table that Alec usually puts his keys on when entering is knocked over and Alec meets his eyes with a pained look. With every breath, his face contorts into a painful expression. Magnus is flying to his side in a moment and his magic is eager to respond to whatever is hurting his lover. Alec is gasping for air and he’s slowly sinking down the door as his legs are too weak to hold him. He’s holding his ribs tightly, as if that’ll stop the pain that comes with every breath.

“Alexander, can I heal you?” Magnus asks and Alec nods his head weakly, trying to suck in air desperately. 

“Please.” Alec gasps out and his voice is practically begging Magnus to take away this pain. Magnus immediately responds, letting his magic respond to Alec’s pain almost immediately. The warlock can feel it searching Alec’s body for the cause of his pain and healing it as soon as possible. Before Magnus can start healing, a phone starts to ring and distracts the both of them. Alec reaches blindly for his pocket and tries to straighten himself out with a painful grimace. Magnus yanks the phone from him and glances at the caller id before tossing it towards the couch.

“Later.” He insists at Alec’s confused look, “Let me heal you.” Alec nods weakly again and tries to take another short, desperate gasp of air. His chest aches and Alec sends Magnus a pleading look.

“ _ Please _ .” Alec begs and Magnus nods immediately, letting his magic out once again. It surrounds his hands and Magnus sorts through the multitude of minor injuries and major ones. Two of his ribs snapped during what Magnus assumes was a fight during a hunt but what’s the most worrying is the punctured lung that is causing his boyfriend’s breath to be painful and desperate. Magnus heals the ribs first and despite not healing the lungs yet, Alec’s already starting to relax. His breaths are still choked and small but the look of minor relief on Alec’s face is enough to encourage him even further. The cuts and lacerations caused by the broken ribs on the lungs slowly start to close. By the time he’s finished, Alec is practically heaving with much needed air and Magnus rubs his back comfortingly. The shadowhunter leans into the warlock’s touch and closes his eyes, enjoying the feeling of air returning into his lungs.

“Thank you.” Alec chokes out from his spot against Magnus’s shoulder and the warlock just nods his head, pressing a kiss to Alec’s temple.

“Come on darling.” Magnus encourages, helping Alec to his feet and over towards the couch where his phone is waiting. It’s buzzing again and Jace’s name lights up the screen once more but this time Magnus answers.

“Yes?” 

“Where’s Alec.” Jace demands, greetings all but forgotten. Normally, Magnus would have been annoyed by the arrogant and demanding tone of his lover’s parabatai but giving what Jace had just been feeling, he couldn’t really blame him.

“He’s here, I healed him up.” Magnus reassures, running his hand through Alec’s hair in a calming manner as the boy curls up against Magnus. Magnus's heart is racing and he keeps having to check Alec to make sure he is actually still beside him.

“Let me talk to him.” Jace insists as soon as Magnus is done talking and looking down at Alec, Magnus can’t deny either of them anything. Seeing Alec struggling to breath in his doorway was terrifying and while he had physically been there, Jace had to feel it all and not be able to do anything. Without replying or saying another word, Magnus hands the phone to Alec who presses it to his ear.

“Jace.” Alec breathes out and he can hear Jace suck in a breath as soon as he hears his brother’s voice. 

“Alec.” Jace replies just as simply but Alec can hear the relief seeping into his parabatai’s voice and Alec just clutches the phone closer.

“I’m okay.” Alec whispers softly and Jace makes a huffing sound through the phone that makes Alec grin slightly.

“What the hell happened Alec.” Jace asks, the question is a mix between a demand and a beg but anyone who could hear the conversation could tell that Jace was actually worried and not angry.

“Not really sure, Magnus would probably be a better person to ask.” Alec responds and winces slightly at the words, knowing they wouldn’t appease Jace as much as he wants it to. 

“He’s taking care of you?” Jace asks instead and Alec is a little shocked by the unexpected question. Alec was expecting his parabatai to demand an answer but instead, he seems content with just knowing Alec is in the care of Magnus.

“Yes.” Alec answers simply and can practically hear the relief that floods through his parabatai bond.

“I’ll come by later okay? The circle members are taken care of and reports are filed.” Jace informs him and Alec finds himself nodding even though Jace can’t see him, “Can I talk to Magnus again?” Alec goes to nod again, once again remember that Jace can not see him and instead opens his mouth to reply,

“I’ll see you later. Thank you.” Alec hands Magnus the phone again and watches Magnus’s confused look as the warlock takes the phone.

“Yes again?” Magnus wonders into the phone and sees the small smile he gets from Alec at his sarcastic remark.

“Watch out for him.” Jace requests and Magnus, looking down at the younger shadowhunter, feels a flare of protectiveness surge through him. It happens almost anytime that Alec is hurt or sick and Magnus swears to himself that he will do anything to keep Alec safe.

“I will.” Magnus promises and bids Jace goodbye before hanging up and turning back to Alec. Alec’s still leaning against Magnus’s shoulder and he still has a small, content smile covering his face. And if Alec holds onto Magnus just a little tighter that night and if Magnus kisses Alec just a little bit longer that night, well a little comfort never hurt anyone.


End file.
